Container



Jan. 15, 1963 M. w. KucHl-:NBECKER 3,073,503

' CONTAINER s sheets-sheet 1 Filed Nov. 16, 1959 M. w. KUCHENBECKER 3,073,503

CONTAINER Jan. 15, 1963 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 16, 1959 INVENTOR.

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M@ WW Jan. 15, 1963v M, w, KUCHENBECKER 3,073,503

CONTAINER Filed Nov. 16, 1959 3 SheetsSheet 3 JNVEN ToR. )Wm/5 n4 Kaff/Mam@ VQ//ffm d? rmeA/fys United States tion of New Jersey Filed Nov. 16, 1959, Ser. No. 853,366 12 Claims. (Cl. 229-17) The present invention relates to a self-sustaining carton or container and a unitary blank therefor, for the packaging and dispensing therefrom of flowable products such as liquids, granulated substances and the like and has particular reference to a top end closure which includes a conveniently available dispensing means and a handle for carrying the container.

An object of the invention is to provide `a top end closure for a container made from a unitary blank of paperboard or the like material wherein the closure includes a handle and a dispensing means Iwhich can be quickly and easily opened to dispense the container contents and which provides a convenient reclosure.

Another object is to provide a top end closure of the handle type which permits of the stacking of containers in vertical relation.

Numerous other objects and advantages of the invention will lbe apparent as it is better understood from the following description, which, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, discloses a preferred embodiment thereof.

Referring to the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a unitary Iblank from which a container embodying the instant invention may be made;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a sealed container made from the blank shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective View of a partially formed container, the view showing how the blank is folded to form the container body;

FIGS. 4 and 5 are perspective views of the upper end of the container, the views showing how the top closure is formed;

IFIG. 6 is a perspective view of the upper end of the container showing how the sealed closure is opened;

lFIG. 7 is a perspective view of the fully opened container with its -dispensing device in dispensing position; and

IFIG. 8 is a schematic view shown at reduced scale and illustrating how the containers can be stacked.

As a preferred and exemplary embodiment of the invention, the 4drawings disclose a substantially rectangular container comprising a -body 11 (FIG. 2), a lbottom 12 and a top end closure 13 which includes a carrying handle 14 and a vdispensing device 15 (see also FIG. 7) made from a single or unitary paperboard blank 16 (FIG. l) of generally rectangular configuration.

The blank 16 (FIG. l) is suitably cut and scored or creased to divide it into `a number of Walls, panels and tab portions. Pour main side walls 21, 22, 23, 24 are respectively separated from each other `and hingedly connected together along crease lines 25, 26, 27. A glue iiap 28 is hingedly connected along one side edge of wall 24 by a crease line 29. The glue flap 28 is divided by crease lines 31, 32 into glue flap portions 33, 34, 35.

The bottom 12 of the container may -be formed in any sui-table manner. By way of example, the drawing of the blank shows four bottom closure flaps 36, 37, 38, 39 respectively connected to the container side walls 21, 22, 23, 24 along crease lines 41, 42, 43, 44. The bottom aps are separated by cut lines 46, 47, 48, 49.

The top end closure 13 for the container comprises a pair of top panels 51, 52 and a pair of end panels 53, 54. These panels are hingedly connected to the respective side Patented Jan. 15, 1963 walls 21, 23, 22, 24 along hinge crease lines 56, 58, 57, 59 respectively.

The -top panels 51, 52 are rectangular in configuration and are connected to the end panels 53, 54 and to the glue llap portion 35 `along hinge crease lines 61, 62, 63, 64 which are extensions of the body wall crease lines 25, 26, 27, 29 respectively. Each of these top panels 51, 52 are divided by a pair `of diagonal crease lines 466, 67, into three triangular sections 68, `69, 70. Along their top edges, the top panels 51, 52 are formed with rectangular handle tabs or sections 72 which are hingedly connected to the panels along crease lines 73. These handle sections 72 are provided with an angularly disposed crease line 74 which extends from the panel crease line 67 as shown in FIG. 1. The handle sections 72 lalso are formed with a potential finger hole defined by an incomplete circular cut line 75 which holds a plug 76 temporarily attached to the handle section but which may be punched out to provide a finger hole. One of the handle sections 72 is provided with a ilap 77 which extends the full width of the section along a crease line 73. This flap is divided by a perforated line 79 into a fixed or glue flap portion 81 and a loose portion v82.

The end panels 53, s54 are each divided by diagonal crease lines 84, 85 into a triangular lsection 86 and a pair of triangular wing sections 87. The triangular sections 86 are hinged along the crease lines 57, 59 of the respective body side walls 22, 24 while the wing sections 87 are hinged along the diagonal crease lines 84, 85 and the body wall crease lines `61, `62, 63 and the glue liap crease line 64.

Above these ltriangular sections, the end panel 53 is provided with a rectangular ltab 89 which is hinged to the panel 53 along a crease line 91. The tab 89 is disposed between the two handle sections 72 and is separated therefrom by cut lines 92. A longitudinal perforated tear line 93 divides the tab 89 into a iixed tab portion 94 and a loose tab portion 95 for a purpose to be hereinafter explained.

The end panel 53 and its tab 39 constitute elements ofl the conveniently available pouring spout or dispensing means 15 hereinbefore mentioned. To facilitate formation of this dispensing means in a finished container the blank is provided with a transverse crease line 96 which extends across the tab `89 and the end panel 53 and into the body side wall 22 where it terminates and joins with a pair of diagonal crease lines 97 defining a triangular section having a base crease line 42 as shown in FIG. l.

The end panel 54 is provided with a projecting tab .101 which is hingedly connected to the panel along a crease line 102 and is separated from the adjacent handle section 72 by a cut line 103. This tab 1111 is transversely divided into two sections 104, 105 by a crease line 106 and each section is formed with a potential finger hole dened by an incomplete circular cut-line 107 which holds a plug 108 temporarily in place. These potential `iinger holes are located in a predetermined relation to the potential finger holes in the handle sections 72 so as to align with them when the blank 16 is folded along its various crease lines to produce the container shown in FIG. 2.

In order to produce the container shown in FIG. 2 the blank 16 is rst folded along the side wall crease lines 25, 26, 27 and glue liap crease line 29 to form the rectangular body 11 as .best shown in FIG. 3, the side walls 21, 22, 23, 24 being tied together by the glue ap portion 34 which is bonded by a suitable adhesive to the inner face of the side wall 21 along its free edge. The glue flap portion 3S is also bonded to the top panel 51 along its free edge. The four bottom flaps 36, 37, 38, 39 and the glue flap portion 33 are then folded in the usual manner into overlapping position perpendicular to the side walls, along their respective crease lines 41, 42, 43, 44 and are adhesively secured together to form the bottom 12 of the container. This is a conventional bottom construction.

In this open top end condition, with the body 11 and the bottom 12 fully formed, the resulting container is ready for filling. For liquid products the open end con tainer is usually immersed in or otherwise coated with molten wax. or other liquid-proofing substance to render the container leak-proof.

The filled container is closed and sealed by folding the top panels 51, 52 inwardly and the end panels 53, 54 outwardly as shown in FIG. 4. The folding of the top panels 51, '52 inwardly hinges them on their respective crease lines 56, 518 and also bends the handle sections 72 along their crease lines 73, so that the two handle sections 72 are inV an upright juxtaposed relation as shown in FIG. 4.

The outward folding of the end panels 53, 54 hinges them on their respective crease lines 57, 59 and collapses the panels so that the triangular wing sections S7 fold` along their diagonal crease lines 84, 85 into place against the back of the triangular section 86. Simultaneously with this wing folding action, the tab 89 of the end panel 53 hinges along its crease lines 91, 96 to fold the tab back on itself in a double thickness relation and to locate the folded tab in an upright position adjacent one end of the juxtaposed handle sections 72. In a similar manner the tab 101 on the end panel 54 hinges along its crease lines 102, 106 to fold the tab portions 104, 105 into a contiguous relation and to locate these tab portions in an upright position adjacent the other end of the juxtaposed handle sections 72 as shown in FIG. 4.

With the tabs 89, 101 of the respective end panels S3, 54 in the positions shown in FIG. 4, the panels are bent upwardly along their crease lines 57, 59 into a position surmounting the top panels 51, 52. This action interposes` the tabs 89, `101 into the space between the upright handle sections 72 as shown in FIG. 5. In this position the tab 101, the Xed portion 94 of the tab 89, and the handle` section 72 are adhesively bonded together in a permanent joint. The ap 77 of one of the handle sec tions 72 projects above the other handle section and is hinged downwardly along its crease line 78, over this other handle section and its glue portion 81 is adhesively secured intplace, the loose portion 82 of the flap remaining free but in folded-over position as a coextensive part of the adhesively bonded portion as shown in FIG. 2. There thus results a tight top closure for the container, with the potential carrying holes in alignment andready for use in carrying the container, and with the top panels 51, 52 in a horizontal position which permits of the stacking of a plurality of such containers as best shown in FIG. 8.

To open the container, it is merely necessary to tear the loose ap portion 82 free of the adhesively bonded portion S1along its tear line 79, as shown in FIG. 6. The end panel 53 is then pulled outito the position shown in FIG. 4. This action breaks the loose tab portions 95 free of the adhesively bonded tab portions 94 of the tab 89, the break being eifected along the tear line 93. The handle sections 72 are then pulled up and this expands the end panel 53 and the side wall 22 connected thereto, along their crease lines 84, 85, 57, 96, 97, 91 and bulges the top panels 51, 5.2 along their crease lines 66, 67, 74 to provide the pouring spout or dispensing device 1S as shown in FIG. 7.

After a dispensing operation, the container may be readily reclosed by pushing the bulged end panel S13 back into its original position and inserting the loose flap portions 95 of the panel into position between the unsecured portions of the adhesively bonded together handle sections 72 as shown in FIG. 6.

It is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the partsl without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the form hereinbefore described being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

I claim:

1. A top end closure for a self-sustaining tubular container having a. body portion dened by four substantially rectangular side walls, said top end closure comprising a pair of top panels extending in a common horizontal plane from a pair of oppositely disposed side walls and projecting in opposite directions across and closing the top end of said container body portion, a handle section on each of said top panels, said handle sections being disposed in upright and juxtaposed relation, a pair of end panels arranged with each end panel integrally joined with its respective of the remaining pair of oppositely disposed side walls and extending outwardly therefrom past said top panels, said end panels being disposed exteriorly of and parallel to the adjacent end edges of said top panels and said handle sections, and tab portions arranged with each tab portion integrally joined to its respective of said end panels and extending towards the opposing end panel, said tab portions of one of said end panels being permanently secured to said handle sections and said tab portions of the other of said end panels being releasably secured to said handle sections to facilitate release of said other of said end panels for use as a dispensing means.

2. A top end closure of the character defined in claim 1 wherein said tab portions are interposed between said handle sections.

3. A top end closure of the character defined in claim l wherein said handle sections and said tab portions of said one of said end panels are provided with aligned finger holes for carrying said container.

4. A top end closure of the character defined in claim 1 wherein said end panels are of triangular coniiguration and are formed with triangular wing sections disposed contiguous with said triangular panel and are hingedly connected to said top panels, and wherein said tab portions are hingedly connected to said wing sections.

5. A top end closure of the character defined in claim 1 wherein said top panels are provided with crease lines to facilitate formation of said vother of said end panels for use as a dispensing means.

6. A top end closure of the character defined in claim` l wherein one of said handle sections is provided with a flap, said flap being folded over the other of said handle sections and secured thereto.

7. A top end closure of the character defined in claim 6 wherein said ap is provided with a tear line setting ot a pull portion of said tap unsecured to said other of said handle sectionssaid pull portion being disposed adjacent the tab portion of the other of said end panels.

8. A top end closure for a self-sustaining tubular container having a body portion defined by four substantially rectangular side walls, said top end closure comprising a pair of top panels extending from a pair of oppositely disposed side walls and projecting in opposite directions across and closing the top end of said container body portion, a handle section on each of said top panels, said handle sections being disposed in upright and juxta posed relation, a pair of end panels extending from the remaining pair of oppositely disposed side walls and formed integral with and surmounting said top panels, said end panels being disposed adjacent the end edges of said top panels and said handle sections, and tab portions integral with and extending from said end panels, said tab portions of one of said endpanels being permanently secured to said handle sections and said tab portions of the other of said end panels being releasably secured to said handle sections to facilitate release of said other of said end panels for use as a dispensing means, said tab portions of the other of said end panels being divided by a tear line into a iixed tab portion and a loose tab portion, said iixed tab portion being secured to said handle sections,

said tear line being rupturable by an outward pull on said end panel.

9. A container comprising a pair of spaced opposing end walls, a pair of spaced opposing side walls integrally interconnected with and disposed entirely between the planes of said end walls, a pair 1of top portions between said end Walls and including a separate top portion integral with its respective one of each of said side walls, each top portion extending inwardly towards and meeting the other top portion to close the top end of said container, a pair of handle portions including a handle portion integral with its respective one of each of said top portions, said handle portions being disposed .entirely between said end walls and juxtaposed to each other, a plurality of wing portions arranged with each integrally joined to its respective of said end walls, each said wing portion lying alongside of and generally parallel with its respective end wall with all of the wing portions disposed between the end walls and with each wing portion integrally joined with its respective next adjacent top portion, a plurality of handle engageable portions arranged with each handle engageable portion integrally joined with at least one of the wing portions and extending from one of the end 6 walls towards the opposite end wall in juxtaposed relationship to the handle portions.

10. The structure as dened in claim 9 additionally including each Wing portion being attached to its respective top portion along a line disposed in the plane of the top portion and directed at an angle to the side walls.

1l. The structure as defined in claim 9 additionally including said handle portions being parallel to and between j said side walls.

12. The structure as defined in claim 9 additionally including said top portions being transverse to all of said walls.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

1. A TOP END CLOSURE FOR A SELF-SUSTAINING TUBULAR CONTAINER HAVING A BODY PORTION DEFINED BY FOUR SUBSTANTIALLY RECTANGULAR SIDE WALLS, SAID TOP END CLOSURE COMPRISING A PAIR OF TOP PANELS EXTENDING IN A COMMON HORIZONTAL PLANE FROM A PAIR OF OPPOSITELY DISPOSED SIDE WALLS AND PROJECTING IN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS ACROSS AND CLOSING THE TOP END OF SAID CONTAINER BODY PORTION, A HANDLE SECTION ON EACH OF SAID TOP PANELS, SAID HANDLE SECTIONS BEING DISPOSED IN UPRIGHT AND JUXTAPOSED RELATION, A PAIR OF END PANELS ARRANGED WITH EACH END PANEL INTEGRALLY JOINED WITH ITS RESPECTIVE OF THE REMAINING PAIR OF OPPOSITELY DISPOSED SIDE WALLS AND EXTENDING OUTWARDLY THEREFROM PAST SAID TOP PANELS, SAID END PANELS BEING DISPOSED EXTERIORLY OF AND PARALLEL TO THE ADJACENT END EDGES OF SAID TOP PANELS AND SAID HANDLE SECTIONS, AND TAB PORTIONS ARRANGED WITH EACH TAB PORTION INTEGRALLY JOINED TO ITS RESPECTIVE OF SAID END PANELS AND EXTENDING TOWARDS THE OPPOSING END PANEL, SAID TAB PORTIONS OF ONE OF SAID END PANELS BEING PERMANENTLY SECURED TO SAID HANDLE SECTIONS AND SAID TAB PORTIONS OF THE OTHER OF SAID END PANELS BEING RELEASABLY SECURED TO SAID HANDLE SECTIONS TO FACILITATE RELEASE OF SAID OTHER OF SAID END PANELS FOR USE AS A DISPENSING MEANS. 